Life is change

By Jason Martin, Vice President & General Manager

Published: April 28, 2017

From the Alaska Business Monthly office, in a currently thawing midtown Anchorage, we can see the former Northern Lights Hotel as it undergoes what is probably its final transformation. This evolution will bring about the long overdue demolition of the forty-seven-year-old building, which, when built in 1970, was so state-of-the-art that it even had color television—in every room.

Demolition is scheduled for completion this spring, about when this May issue hits newsstands. The Anchorage skyline will forever change, and the ongoing cycle continues. This newly-reborn space in midtown Anchorage possesses so much potential, perhaps producing new neighbors for us here at Alaska Business Monthly, neighbors who might participate in any number of current or burgeoning Alaska industries.

Alaska’s economy is no stranger to the cycle of change, and as a relatively young state, I think sometimes we forget that we too are susceptible to economic shifts. Oil prices go up and down, tourism numbers fluctuate, and the economy continues its ebb and flow. The only constant is change. But in this cycle of change, there is normalcy. There is fantastic potential. There are new growth opportunities and new people to pursue them. Every empty lot is a new business waiting to spring forth.

I’m excited to see what’s next for Alaska: what new businesses will change Alaska’s skyline?

And we ourselves can’t escape the cycle; Alaska Business Monthly is also changing. We will continue to be “Where You Go When You Need To Know,” but we are also evolving to be the “Champions of Alaska Business.” And there are more exciting changes that we’re preparing for the coming year and for years beyond.

For now, we are excited to introduce our new Managing Editor, Kathryn Mackenzie. She brings with her a wealth of editing and managing experience, as well as the chops to bring multiple social media platforms together to create a cohesive message and help spread the gospel of Alaska Business: our brand new “lot” of untapped potential. Check our website at akbizmag.com for more information about Kathryn, and she’ll introduce herself to our readers in the June issue.

We’re extremely excited about our May issue, which once again features our Oil and Gas Special Section: the oil and gas industry is going through changes of its own (and some challenging times). We’ll continue to follow this vital industry closely as it moves forward, in many ways, leaner and stronger.

Embrace change.

Jason Martin, Vice President & General Manager

This article first appeared in the May 2017 print edition of Alaska Business Monthly.